The Devil's Hole

                                            By Jessica Minor

Chapter 1

It had been months since Chaos had been sent into exile. Things have calmed down considerably for the Empress, Goblin's Hollow and the Fairy Kingdom. By that afternoon, not one creature had stopped by to need her. It was a rare occasion. The office had been filled with books, candles, scattered papers and her raven feather glitter pen. Finding it relaxing to add to the spellbooks; she rang for one of the servants. Lighting another candle, waiting the few moments before the knock came to the door.

"Come in," She called, and then the girl entered the room.

"You rang miss?"

"Yes, I'd love a bottle of wine."

"Right away, miss."

The girl left the room, returning a prompt five minutes later with a bottle and goblet for the lady of the castle. As Amberosia left, Ralvania popped the cork with her thoughts and poured it. This was a long overdue night of staying in, not running to this village or that realm to fix a problem, again. Sipping at the dark liquid, enjoying a night of solitude.

Three nights later...

The empress was settling in early for the night. It had been a long and full day of helping other creatures and the demands of running the castle. A good full night of rest was all that was needed. Crawling into the soft bed, finding a good position, she closed her eyes. N As she'd fallen into a deep sleep, her mind didn't relax near as well as the body. Lost in a deep state of a vivid dream, no longer in the comfort and safety of the bedchamber. In a forest, scanning it for about thirty seconds, then recognizing it. She was in the Fairy Kingdom's enchanted forest. She knew it well.

Walking through the forest, the next thing she saw, the Wicked Willow. As she got closer, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Then, placing her hand on the tree, in the dream she experienced a powerful vision. The trunk of the evil tree felt like a blazing forest fire. Peering into the hole in the middle of the trunk, saw an ink black hole. Sensing a pure form of evil, as if it were its own element, she turned ; projectile vomiting. Lifting her head up, seeing black shadow creatures running out of the darkness in the tree, fleeing through the forest in seconds.

Rising from the hellish nightmare, it took a few minutes to breathe. Covered in a pool of sweat and twitching from the vision, she didn't dare move for a good ten minutes. When she moved, the first thing she reached for, the Grimoire of Dreams. Flipping it open, scribbling out every detail possible, deep in the soul, she knew it wasn't a random mundane bad dream. It was too real. A premonition, it had to be. A simple nightmare wouldn't leave her this shaken up, there had to be more to it.

Looking to the position of the triple moons, telling her it had to be near four in the morning. Trying desperately, it still took the better part of an hour to find sleep once more.